LONGMONT -- Dan Eamon, the city of Longmont's emergency manager, came in for special recognition on Saturday night for his role in preparing the city's response to a potential catastrophe like this month's floods, and for his leadership in guiding the city's response to that disaster when the floodwaters came.

Boulder County CareConnect's third annual "Longmont Legends" awards ceremonies honored individuals and businesses for their outstanding care and dedication to the community.

All the rest of the award nominees' names were submitted before the flood, but the organization, which provides a variety of services to seniors and adults with disabilities, decided to expand its categories of local legends to include Eamon and designate him as the community's "Legendary Hero."

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Eamon "was the leader of the team that brought us through challenging circumstances," City Councilwoman Katie Witt told the hundreds of people who showed up at Left Hand Brewing Company.

After the waves of floodwaters passed through Longmont, most of the houses in the city were soggy but still standing, Witt said. Within days after the storms and overflowing streams moved east, most people's lights came on, most streets can now again be driven on, and St. Vrain Valley students are back in their schools, she said.

Coombs said in a written statement that Eamon had worked with city manager Harold Dominguez to activate emergency operations at 3 a.m. Sept. 12 "and then worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to make smart decisions about which roads to cut to redirect the river away from greater destruction. Dan is a hero to this community."

Ditty said Eamon "stepped forward and made it possible for the damage and destruction not to completely obliterate us."

Eamon said in an interview after the ceremonies that getting the Longmont Legends award "is an incredible honor," but he said it really amounts to recognizing the entire city team that prepared for such a disaster and the way that team responded to one when it did occur.

Longmont's emergency response to the flood, with people coming together from all over the city, represented "how the city is connected to the community," Eamon said.

Restaurateur Christopher Kukich, a former partner in Martini's Bistro who now has a marketing firm, this year's "Legendary Community Personality."

Dan Benavidez, a former Longmont city councilman and longtime civil rights and community activist, this year's "Legendary Volunteer."

Jo Vosacek who's put in thousands of hours of volunteer work for various local organizations since the 1960s -- including clocking 7,000 hours of volunteer time at Longmont United Hospital since 1978 -- this year's "Legendary Senior."